Otter Creek a raft of otters

yes please! we made a lil last minute change :3

He snorted faintly, more amused than annoyed, and shook his broad shoulders as if to brush off the nip she’d dared to give. “Terrified of otters,” he muttered to himself, the corner of his mouth still curved into that rare smirk. “Your insolence shall be your doom, gosling.”

Still, he couldn’t deny the faint warmth that crept into his chest as he watched her dart ahead, full of energy and confidence despite her earlier deflation. There was something endearing about the way she carried herself—scrappy, stubborn, but never dull. Her presence was a spark against the cold edges of his mind, a distraction he hadn’t realized he needed.

He hated to admit that he might just be warming up to Needle.

Hated to admit that he enjoyed having her around.

He began to follow at a measured pace, his longer strides catching up to her easily. As she bounded ahead, he called out after her. “One day, is it? Perhaps I’ll prepare a feast to honor your unparalleled skill as an otter-slayer,” he said dryly. “But you would do well to make good on that promise, Needle. I won’t suffer empty boasts.”